Sagar Biswas :
Security agencies have launched a massive manhunt to nab Sohel Mahfuz, a former leader of banned Islamist militant outfit Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh [JMB] and now working for Neo-JMB, for allegedly supplying explosives for July 1 terror attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in the city’s Gulshan area.
“Sohel Mahfuz was the ‘bomb maker’ and supplier of IED [improvised explosive device which is also known as locally made grenades] to the terrorists for Gulshan attack. Police are conducting drives to catch him,” Monirul Islam,
Chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes Unit [CTTCU], said on Friday.
According to information given by the investigators, Sohel, also known as Hatkata Sohel, joined Neo JMB only two years back. In the student life, he was a member of Islami Chhatra Shibir. He joined JMB being inspired by its founder Shaikh Abdur Rahman. At one stage, he became a member of Majlish-e Shura of JMB [old].
In 2010, he announced himself as Ameer of JMB [old] when the then Ameer Maulana Saidur Rahman was arrested. He was locked in a tussle with Maulana Saidur Rahman when he refused to quit the post of Ameer even staying in jail. Later, Sohel fled to Bardwan in West Bengal and tried to form a new group of JMB, but it did not click. It is, however, not yet known which post he holds in Neo-JMB.
“He [Sohel Mahfuz] played a vital role in purchasing arms-ammunition, grenade making and supply. Police recently published his photos and urged people to provide his whereabouts,” the CTTCU Chief said.
Sohel Mahfuz, a resident of Kushtia, is highly trained in making explosives. His left hand was severed following an accidental explosion while making bombs. But he can operate firearms with one hand. He is a close relative of absconding Marzan, sources said.
Earlier, Bangladesh-born Canadian national Tamim Chowdhury, chief coordinator and Tawshif Hossain, communication coordinator of Gulshan attack were killed during a raid at Narayanganj. But the security agencies still could not nab Nurul Islam Marzan, a student of Chittagong University, who was “operational commander” of the terror attack in the diplomatic zone, though more than two months have gone in the meantime.
Intelligence sources said Marzan is now under surveillance network of security forces and he may be caught any moment.
“At first Marzan had informed Tamim about Holey Artisan Bakery at road-79 of Gulshan. Marzan himself conducted rekey for several times and informed Tamim that about 30/35 foreigners usually go to the Spanish café regularly. Later, Tamim Chowdhury took final decision for attack based on the information provided by Marzan,” a source close to the investigators told The New Nation yesterday.
The source said the investigators have achieved the above information after grilling the terrorists those were arrested during block raids in the last two months.
“So far as we know, after Tamim Chowdhury, the most important leader of Neo JMB is Marzan. Tamim was very much depended on Marzan. We will get more information about the Neo JMB], if Marzan is arrested. At the same time, activities of the terrorist organization will also come under control,” Monirul Islam said.
Apart from Marzan, the law enforcement and intelligence agencies are now looking for another prime suspect -Major [retd] Syed Mohammad Ziaul Huq, alias Major Zia. He is son of Syed Mohammad Zillul Haque of Moulvibazar. He was the mastermind of a military coup attempt in 2012. He could not be traced after leaving his last address at Polash, Mirpur Cantonment in Dhaka.
Police said Zia is also the mastermind of country’s all militant attacks, including Gulshan. A bounty of Tk. 20 lakh has also been declared on his head. To nab him, the law enforcement agencies circulated his seven pictures in different dresses. Some officials suspected that Zia and Marzan are hiding in the country, while several others assumed that he has crossed the border.
As per information available, three other militants, including Zonayed Khan, Khaled and Manik were involved in the “attack planning”. Of them, Zonayed Khan was killed in the city’s Kalyanpur.
Besides, an operator of Neo-JMB namely Rajib alias Rajib Gandhi was “informed earlier” about the attack and he sent two persons to Tamim Chowdhury with special assignment. The name of another Neo-JMB man Ripon has been surfaced recently who is believed to be involved in the attack.
“We’ve got solid information about 10 militants, who were involved in planning, financing, arms-explosive supplying behind the Gulshan attack. Out of ten, we’ve primarily identified six terrorists, including operational commander Marzan. We’re conducting drives to nab them. We’re also trying to know whereabouts of others, who are absconding,” Monirul Islam, also additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said.
Meanwhile, the crime busting elite force Rapid Action Battalion [RAB] arrested a total of 26 militants from different parts of the country after the Gulshan café attack.
“Of the arrestees, there are members of JMB, Neo-JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team and Hizb-ut Tahrir. The members of security forces have been working to ensure safety for Eid-ul-Azha keeping Holey Artisan café attack incident in mind,” Director General of RAB Benazir Ahmed said yesterday.
Security agencies have launched a massive manhunt to nab Sohel Mahfuz, a former leader of banned Islamist militant outfit Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh [JMB] and now working for Neo-JMB, for allegedly supplying explosives for July 1 terror attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in the city’s Gulshan area.
“Sohel Mahfuz was the ‘bomb maker’ and supplier of IED [improvised explosive device which is also known as locally made grenades] to the terrorists for Gulshan attack. Police are conducting drives to catch him,” Monirul Islam,
Chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes Unit [CTTCU], said on Friday.
According to information given by the investigators, Sohel, also known as Hatkata Sohel, joined Neo JMB only two years back. In the student life, he was a member of Islami Chhatra Shibir. He joined JMB being inspired by its founder Shaikh Abdur Rahman. At one stage, he became a member of Majlish-e Shura of JMB [old].
In 2010, he announced himself as Ameer of JMB [old] when the then Ameer Maulana Saidur Rahman was arrested. He was locked in a tussle with Maulana Saidur Rahman when he refused to quit the post of Ameer even staying in jail. Later, Sohel fled to Bardwan in West Bengal and tried to form a new group of JMB, but it did not click. It is, however, not yet known which post he holds in Neo-JMB.
“He [Sohel Mahfuz] played a vital role in purchasing arms-ammunition, grenade making and supply. Police recently published his photos and urged people to provide his whereabouts,” the CTTCU Chief said.
Sohel Mahfuz, a resident of Kushtia, is highly trained in making explosives. His left hand was severed following an accidental explosion while making bombs. But he can operate firearms with one hand. He is a close relative of absconding Marzan, sources said.
Earlier, Bangladesh-born Canadian national Tamim Chowdhury, chief coordinator and Tawshif Hossain, communication coordinator of Gulshan attack were killed during a raid at Narayanganj. But the security agencies still could not nab Nurul Islam Marzan, a student of Chittagong University, who was “operational commander” of the terror attack in the diplomatic zone, though more than two months have gone in the meantime.
Intelligence sources said Marzan is now under surveillance network of security forces and he may be caught any moment.
“At first Marzan had informed Tamim about Holey Artisan Bakery at road-79 of Gulshan. Marzan himself conducted rekey for several times and informed Tamim that about 30/35 foreigners usually go to the Spanish café regularly. Later, Tamim Chowdhury took final decision for attack based on the information provided by Marzan,” a source close to the investigators told The New Nation yesterday.
The source said the investigators have achieved the above information after grilling the terrorists those were arrested during block raids in the last two months.
“So far as we know, after Tamim Chowdhury, the most important leader of Neo JMB is Marzan. Tamim was very much depended on Marzan. We will get more information about the Neo JMB], if Marzan is arrested. At the same time, activities of the terrorist organization will also come under control,” Monirul Islam said.
Apart from Marzan, the law enforcement and intelligence agencies are now looking for another prime suspect -Major [retd] Syed Mohammad Ziaul Huq, alias Major Zia. He is son of Syed Mohammad Zillul Haque of Moulvibazar. He was the mastermind of a military coup attempt in 2012. He could not be traced after leaving his last address at Polash, Mirpur Cantonment in Dhaka.
Police said Zia is also the mastermind of country’s all militant attacks, including Gulshan. A bounty of Tk. 20 lakh has also been declared on his head. To nab him, the law enforcement agencies circulated his seven pictures in different dresses. Some officials suspected that Zia and Marzan are hiding in the country, while several others assumed that he has crossed the border.
As per information available, three other militants, including Zonayed Khan, Khaled and Manik were involved in the “attack planning”. Of them, Zonayed Khan was killed in the city’s Kalyanpur.
Besides, an operator of Neo-JMB namely Rajib alias Rajib Gandhi was “informed earlier” about the attack and he sent two persons to Tamim Chowdhury with special assignment. The name of another Neo-JMB man Ripon has been surfaced recently who is believed to be involved in the attack.
“We’ve got solid information about 10 militants, who were involved in planning, financing, arms-explosive supplying behind the Gulshan attack. Out of ten, we’ve primarily identified six terrorists, including operational commander Marzan. We’re conducting drives to nab them. We’re also trying to know whereabouts of others, who are absconding,” Monirul Islam, also additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said.
Meanwhile, the crime busting elite force Rapid Action Battalion [RAB] arrested a total of 26 militants from different parts of the country after the Gulshan café attack.
“Of the arrestees, there are members of JMB, Neo-JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team and Hizb-ut Tahrir. The members of security forces have been working to ensure safety for Eid-ul-Azha keeping Holey Artisan café attack incident in mind,” Director General of RAB Benazir Ahmed said yesterday.
